Hunted
by TicTacToeUK
Summary: When Joel woke up this morning he was expecting a relaxing day. By himself. For a change. That was before the shouted threats. And gunshots. And the explosion. This story takes place after the ending of the game, so there may be one or two minor spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

When Joel woke up this morning he was expecting a relaxing day. By himself. For a change.

That was before the shouted threats.

And gunshots.

And the explosion.

As the dust settled around him, Joel tried to shake his fuzzy head clear. The blast had knocked him onto his front; he now turned and lay on his back. He looked up and could see the sky in between the clearing debris where previously there had been a roof. It took a second or two to process what had just happened. He lay still for a moment to do a mental check of his body - there were no broken bones although his normal hearing had been replaced by a steady white noise tone.

As he came to his senses he sat up and first looked at the door - it was still bolted shut, and then he looked around for his rifle. Spotting the barrel sticking out from under some wood that had came down from roof he dragged himself on his knees and over to it as quickly as he could. With each second that passed his head cleared more and his hearing started to return to normal. The first muffled noise he heard was a shout from outside.

"You still alive in there stranger? "

He didn't answer. What would be the point ? He had already tried talking and now that time had most definitely passed.


	2. Chapter 2

Joel looked around again. He was in the small cabin that he had camped in the previous night. It had stone walls and the angled roof was made from wood. There were a few empty shelves along one wall, and a single bunk in a corner to sleep on. It had clearly been abandoned for a long time. The dust that was on the floor when he had arrived had now been compounded by the falling particles from the roof. His pack was now resting on its side within arms reach of where he now sat. He had arrived late during the evening - leaving Ellie in Peters camp while he scouted the area. He and Ellie had seen the cabin on a previous hunting trip a week or two ago standing by itself in a man made clearing in the middle of the forest near to their camp. They had nearly missed it as the trees were so densely packed, and had not approached it then. They had been on the trail of a deer. This time out he had said that he wanted to go alone to clear his head. Recent events and everything that he had learned during that time had left him with a lot to think about. 'I'll be back in a day or two' he had said. Last night the cabin seemed like a good place to sleep at but now he just hoped he would stay alive long enough to make it through the day.

Joel looked up at the sky through the newly formed gaping hole where some of the roof beams had been. The sun was not directly overhead yet. It was still early. The shout came again through the silence, from one of the men who had trapped him in the cabin. Five of them had came up to the cabin only a short time ago. They had tried to break the locked door down whilst he was sleeping. Four of them were now still outside; the fifth having been shot dead through the door during those initial few moments.

Joel had no idea who the men were. Scavengers by the looks of it when he had stole a glance through the window as they had ran back to the nearby tree line surrounding the cabin. The voice from outside shook Joel from his thoughts, bringing him back to reality.


	3. Chapter 3

"We got plenty of those firesticks left friend...you come out now we will finish this quickly. You stay put you're going to burn."

Joel still didn't answer. Better to let them wonder about him rather than answer and confirm things for them. Besides, he thought, he doubted they had any more explosives; the cabin he was in was barely bigger than the garden shed he used to own a lifetime ago - even a medium amount of explosive should have levelled it. But it hadn't. The first blast has just taken half the roof off. All of the walls and even the door and window were still intact. This meant only a tiny amount of explosives had been throw. Following this thought through led him to two conclusions; either the group outside were bluffing and they didn't have any more 'firesticks' as they had called them,o r they were amateurs. Either way he was beginning to like his chances. No point worrying about it - he would know soon enough which conclusion was the correct one.

He quickly and quietly moved some debris off his rifle and lifted it up. Wiped the dust from it and checked it out. It seemed ok. He didn't have very much amunition with him - he had planned on hunting using traps as the area that he was in had been very quiet recently. Maybe I will catch a rabbit or two, he had thought. He looked around again for anything he could use to fight with. He had his hunting knife, and there were some basic supplies in the cabin, and a few things in his pack that he had brought with him, but other than that there was nothing of use.

Joel moved very quietly and came to rest with his back against the wall furthest away from the door to the cabin. The only window, a small dirty and now dust covered square of glass was next to the doorway on the right hand side of the same wall. He pointed his gun towards the door and sat silently.


	4. Chapter 4

He waited around fifteen minutes until he heard faint movement outside. His shoulders ached from being tense but his ears had stopped ringing. He shut his eyes and concentrated hard. Footsteps quietly approaching from the front of the cabin to the left.

Here we go. He thought.

He waited. Gun trained. Ready.

The footsteps approached. Not four people. Only two. Close now.

The footsteps stopped near the door and Joel could sense the indecision of the people outside. He guessed that whoever was there wasn't the leader of the group, and was now standing deciding whether to bet his life on the risk that Joel was dead and to simply open the door and come into the cabin. All because his boss, who now was hiding fifty meters away had told him to. He raised the gun slightly, aiming at head height in the middle of the door - directly at the small hole where he had previously shot thorough. His finger squeezed the trigger a fraction of an inch. Ready.

A shadow approached closer and formed under the door but it did not linger and passed by the small hole, slowly moving to the right. This was followed a second later by another brief shadow. Not trying the door so aparently not complete amateurs he thought.

Joel followed the slow movement and aimed at the window. He saw the pistol first, followed by an arm and then a face appeared at the window, peering through the dirt for a glimpse into the cabin. The scavengers eyes searched the inside for a second or two and Joel could see his pupils widen slightly and his face contort in shock as the two men made eye contact. The last thing the scavenger saw was the flash from the muzzle of the rifle as Joel pulled the trigger. No warning. No delay. The window shattered and sprayed glass in all directions outside. Joel immediately heard a shout, not from the man who he had shot, but from his companion. He jumped from his sitting position and ran to the front of the cabin, risking a quick look out of the window. He saw the second man who had been close outside ducking around the left hand side of the cabin. There was not enough time to take another shot. He looked down at the ground outside at the latest body. It was still.

Two down, He thought.


	5. Chapter 5

Joel ducked back down under the window again. He could hear screams still coming from the intruder who had been standing near the window. The cries were coming from beyond his line of sight around the left hand side of the cabin, moving away; he guessed back towards the cover provided by the trees. He could also hear the shouts of the remaining two men who had remained hidden in front of the cabin. He estimated they were now about thirty meters from the front door. There were also the sounds of the undergrowth being disturbed from around their position. He stole another quick look out of the window. Now that there was no glass to impede his view, he could clearly make out the two men in front moving away to his left as quickly as they could. They seemed preoccupied with what was happening with their companion. Judging by the shouting he had a pretty good idea that the other man had been injured by the flying glass. He had another brief glance outside. The men were still moving away. He couldn't stay in the cabin. There was no element of suprise left. He couldn't risk another confrontation. He made up his mind; it was time to move. Joel quickly grabbed his pack bag, putting it over his left shoulder. He then moved to the door, took a deep breath and unbolted it. With no time to think or plan he burst though the door and sprinted down the right side of the cabin and ran flat out towards the nearby trees. Half way there the bullets started to whizz by his head as his assailants realised what was going on. Joel kept on running, moving erratically left and right as he was going. As he reached the trees he had a look behind him; the two men had just cleared the cabin themselves and we're keeping up their pursuit. He ran on blindly and kept going through the trees, slower now around the obstacles, the bushes and the lower branches. He moved to keep the line of sight between him and where he thought his pursuers would be as small as he could. He started to try and move in a loose arc, to his right in a direction he hoped would take him away from the gunmen. After around a further hundred meters he stopped. Listened. He could still hear voices in the distance a way behind him. With the echoes caused by the trees it was hard to know exactly where from. He crouched down and waited. He couldn't see anyone, although the voices were growing slightly louder.

"Come out come out wherever you are".

It had been shouted in a sing song way, as a child might have during a game of hide and seek.

"We know you are there. Come out now and maybe we won't go for reinforcements and go back to that camp of yours"

The last sentence sent a chill down Joel's spine. Could it be that they knew that he had come from the larger camp, where Ellie now was? Had they been watching him ? Could it be that even now there were others who could mount an assault on their place of safety? Or was it another bluff. At that instant Joel knew he couldn't take any chances. He just wasn't sure what he could do about it whilst they were hunting him.


	6. Chapter 6

Joel continued around in a wide arc, roughly circling where he thought the cabin was. He hoped that moving in such a manner he might be able to suprise his attackers again. The forest was more dense in places than in others. The sunlight broke through the high branches and the leaves, creating a bright green tinged glow all around him. Silent movement was very slow - moving from behind tree to tree. He kept as low as possible, watching where he put his feet. Joel was ever mindful that one broken twig could give his position away. Now and again he stopped to listen. He couldn't hear any noises now coming from behind him although he was still sure that the men were there somewhere. He checked the rifle again, he was now very low on amunition. Not enough bullets to wait and to attempt an straight shoot out. He kept on moving.

After an uncertain distance he halted completely. Ahead of him and slightly to his right he could see the back of the cabin that he had started out from. It was not far away. He stopped just before the break in the trees. Just before the clearing. He swore to himself under his breath. Through a combination of initial panic and then because of the desire to remain silent and hidden he had misjudged where he was. He had wanted to be further around before approaching this area again. He wanted to be in front of the cabin too, to give himself the best position to watch for the duo returning, as he was sure they would. He started to double back on himself but froze as he heard a faint moan coming from his left. It sounded close. Very close. The third man. The injured man. The one who had been screaming earlier, he thought.


	7. Chapter 7

Joel paused for a moment and listened. He pinpointed where the sounds were coming from. He waited. Watching all around. It didn't seem to be a trap; he couldn't see the other two anywhere. He moved silently towards the sound. He saw the man, lieing down. The prone man had not seen him. He froze again, put his pack down and swapped his rifle for his knife. He held it ready in front of him and then rushed the last few meters to where the wounded man was.

Before the scavenger could react, Joel put his hand over his mouth and held the knife where the man could see it. The sight of the knife seemed to have no effect. In fact the man didn't move at all. Joel looked down and could now see a large patch of blood that had formed on the man's shirt. Joel guessed that some of the flying glass had found a target. He looked the man over, checked that he wasn't holding any weapons. He wasn't. The man was a lot younger than he was, with matted hair and filthy clothes. On another occasion Joel could have felt sorry for him. But not now. Not after everything that had gone on. Joel slowly removed his hand from the man's mouth but kept the knife where it was, hovering inches from his face.

"What do you people want ?", he asked. He had asked the same question much earlier, when the band of men had first tried to break in. He had received no answer.

The man coughed and his eyes rolled back into his head slightly.

Joel shook him. "Want do you want with me ?"

This time the man managed a weak smile. "Sport", he sneered. Joel could smell the man's ransid breath.

"I don't understand", was all that he could reply.

"Just a way to pass the time man. Don't take it personal"

Joel could feel the rage rising in him. His jaw clenched. "Are you insane ? How long have you been watching me ?"

The wounded man closed his eyes for a moment, so Joel shook him again. Harder this time. "How long ?", he continued - his voice slightly louder now. "How many of you are there in total in your group? Have you been watching my camp ?". The man opened his eyes and managed to focus on Joel. He formed his mouth into a grin, started to open his mouth but no words came out. His body went limp.

Joel tried shaking him. "Not yet" he frantically shouted, but it was too late. The man was already gone. All of his questions remained unanswered.

Joel looked up to the sky, and breathed deeply to try to release some of the built up adrenalin. His hands were shaking. He realised that his shouts had given his position away. He looked around, imagining that even now the other two men were watching and lining a shot up on his head. He saw no one though. No shot came. He gathered up his gun, retrieved his pack and quickly moved away further into the forest.

Three down. Two to go.


	8. Chapter 8

Joel made his way back through the undergrowth, stopping where he could still see area where the fallen scavenger lay. He kept low. The trees were partially blocking his view, but it was good enough he thought. He waited.

After a while he saw one of his attackers come around from behind the cabin. The man kept making a whistling noise, clearly searching for his comrade. A minute or two later the other man came into view from the front of the cabin. Both of the scavengers talked for a moment and then split up slightly; both started to look around the outskirts of the clearing near to the cabin. Each man disappearing from view for a few seconds as they passed behind tree trunks, only to reappear again as they continued their search.

Any minute now, Joel thought.

"Carl, over here !", Joel heard as one of the scavengers finally discovered the body. Joel continued to watch, not moving an inch.

The man called Carl came running into view. He was the shorter of the two men. It was the first time Joel had seen him clearly. He could now see that the man had a large angry scar running down the left side of his face. The man called Carl bent down to examine the corpse, and stood back up after a short time. The remaining scavengers were deep in animated conversation although from his position Joel couldn't hear what was being said. Both men repeatedly looked around, using occasional hand gestures and pointing at the cabin.

Wondering what to do next, Joel assumed.

The shorter man - Carl stepped away from the other man, taking a few steps in the direction of where Joel was. He started to shout, turning slowly as he did.

"I know you can hear me, the time for games is over my friend. I had offered you a quick death. You have killed my brother. That deal is no longer on offer. Now you will die a slow painful death. We will find you, then we will go back to your camp and kill everyone else. This I promise you, my friend."

Joel smiled to himself. Well that clears a few things up, he thought. Now it was clear. They had been watching him. A few questions remained but any doubts were now gone. He couldn't put Ellie in danger. He couldn't put the rest of the camp in danger.

He checked the rifle again, risking the noise. He only had three bullets left.

Well 'my friend'. Looks like you just sealed your fate, he thought.

Joel aimed the gun. Slowed his breathing and waited for the right moment. His finger tightened on the trigger as he waited, the muscles in it tensed. He considered his options.

He fired.


	9. Chapter 9

The taller of the two men died before the sound of the shot reached him. To Joel the entire scene was moving in slow motion. He moved the still smoking rifle barrel towards Carl. He could see that it had taken the shorter scavenger a second to react, but even so he was now taking cover behind the nearest tree. The body of the man Joel shot had not yet finished falling. In the confusion it seemed as though it had been the last to realise it had been hit. Joel aimed and fired another shot. The bullet spraying wood fragments where it had imbedded into the tree behind where Carls head had been a second earlier. Joel had missed the shot and the world sped up again.

Joel cursed to himself. One bullet left. He kept low and still. He could hear branches snapping ahead of him, moving away. Joel could feel the panic rising in his chest. If the attacker got away now, there was no way of knowing how many men would be decending on the camp; no way of knowing when it would happen. He knew he couldn't, he wouldn't, put Ellie in that sort of danger. He knew the time for being cautious had passed.

Joel started to blindly run in the direction of the noise he could hear. He quickly closed the gap to where Carl and the other man had been talking not even a minute ago. He didn't even pause as he jumped over the body the newly fallen tall man. He ran on for a few more seconds then stopped. Listened. The undergrowth here was thinning out and although there were less trees it was still tough to see very far. He paused and listened.

Crack.

He turned his head to the right. Tracking the noise. His assailant was definitely heading out of the forest. Joel didn't have much time left to find him. He set off at a pace again; ran for another minute and then he slowed. He'd reached the edge of the trees. Stretching out before him was a large empty field. Carl was not there. He took a few steps into the field, slowly turning completely around as he listened. There was no noise. He looked again across the empty expanse in front of him wondering how Carl had gotten away. Joel dropped his rifle and bent over to fully catch his breath after running. I'm getting too old for this, he thought to himself. Joel knew he needed a new plan. He had to find the man called Carl. Joel straightened up, lost in thought.

The sudden blow into his back took Joel completely by suprise. It felt like he'd been hit by a car, rather than by Carl diving into him.

The force of the impact sent Joel rolling across the grass. He was dazed; the wind knocked out of him. He got to his knees as he looked around. Carl's momentum had also sent him to the ground after the collision. Joel could see him getting back to his feet. Joel looked in the other direction, his rifle was out of reach now. Joel looked back at Carl who was now standing up; looking back at him. Carl was grimly smiling at him. The scavenger was much closer than the rifle. Joel could feel his head clearing. As he locked his gaze at Carl he could feel his muscles tightening.

Joel's world slowed down again as he launched himself at Carl.


End file.
